American Hostage

That was the title to Star Trek VI and was an allegory to United States – Soviet/Russian relations. I watched it again Saturday and it hit me, that is where we are in America today. Only its not The United States’ relationship with another country. Its the divided US Electorate and Health Insurance Reform.

I am Captain Kirk⁽¹⁾ to Health Insurance Reform’s Klingon Chancellor Gorkon. Gorkon seeks peace between the Klingon Empire and the United Federation of Planets after a massive explosion on the Klingon moon Praxis  threatens the life of every Klingon on their home world…. you with me so far?

I hope you are. Part of my quandary here is that I am not a member of either political party. I am an Independent, a conservative leaning  independent. You see, if you look at this blogs archives, that I have railed against the Left, I want to see Obama’s birth certificate⁽²⁾ . I am for smaller, limited government. I don’t care if gays serve openly in the military or if they get married. I want the 2nd Amendment protected just as much as the 1st is, and I am for States Rights⁽³⁾ I am disaffected by both the Left and the Right. I see HCR⁽⁴⁾  as a HUGE pile of money, under government control, that will be spent, leaving us with little in the way of change. My political views have been spelled out much like Captain Kirk’s personal log detailing his hate for the Klingon Empire.

Here is what we have:

• We have an administration that is dealing with the worst economic crisis in a century.
• Both the Right and the Left are fear mongering.
• Congress has exempted themselves from the changes its proposing in HCR while spending multi-millions on new business class jets for themselves.
• Millions of Americans are in need of affordable health care. But its not 47 million who are in need⁽⁵⁾
• Democratic members of Congress are so under pressure that they are either stopping their Town Hall Meetings or requiring that anyone who wants to ask a question, submit it beforehand, even lashing out at their own party members for asking questions about HCR at Town Hall Meetings.
• And, mostly, partisan bickering. No one is looking for a way to make anything work. The Left wants HR3200 passed yesterday and the Right is saying that HR3200 will lead to Armageddon… or something close to it.
• ⁽⁶⁾

In my life I have been fortunate. I have had really good care with my providers. From dependent military care, to civilian doctors, to military care to my current provider, Kaiser Permanente. Yes, Kaiser is MANAGED care, its not a HMO or a PPO. Kaiser tells its doctors what meds it will allow then to prescribe. If you feel you need certain treatments you need to be on the ball and stay on your doctor until you get it. This, to me, is exaclty what HCR will be like. My plan covers me, my wife and five daughters.

There are a few people on Twitter that I follow on m personal account that are, for me, far left of center⁽⁷⁾ . I am not saying this to bash them, but to thank them. Their diversity, in my little world, allows me to grow. The 1st is @EmperorNorton, whom I consider a good friend and with whom I have reached a state of armistice in regard to our political views. The other is @QueenOfSpain⁽⁸⁾ who has just recently gone through a hospital stay after putting off a medical ailment. That ailment has not been treated fully and Erin (Queen of Spain) is up in arms over it.

One of Erin’s complaints was that she was admitted and they didn’t operate. Then, when they decided to release her, they gave her a prescription that her medical insurance wouldn’t cover. I can totally relate to the lack of her insurance providing the meds ordered and her wondering, after the insurance portion has been paid, how much she’ll be liable for out of her own pocket. Were I in her shoes, I’d be wondering the same thing.

The UK NIH⁽⁹⁾ has recently stated it plans to cut (ration) steroid injections, cutting 95% of injections (down from 60,000 to 3,000) in a cost saving move. The Wall Street Journal recently posted a piece on how NICE⁽¹⁰⁾ is limiting the drugs and treatments UK residents can obtain, all to save money and use it elsewhere.

This is one of my concerns… and yes, it could (not that it will) happen here. What criteria will the US system use to determine if my 77 year old father, should he need say cancer treatment (Will it use the UK’s system for determining “quality years” remaining?) ?

NHS North West chief economist Kirsten Major said PCTs could use PROMs results to calculate the relative cost effectiveness of spend by “quality years” added to patients’ lives.⁽¹¹⁾ What happens in the UK is that should you need a procedure they look at a variety of criteria, including how many Quality Years are added to a patients life by the procedure. If the procedure doesn’t add enough of these Quality Years to the patients life, no procedure.

With everyone bitching, from the Left calling those that show up at Town Hall Meetings, “angry white mob”⁽¹²⁾  and worse to the Right being asinine, shouting down senators and representatives, and slamming the Left. No one is really offering options.

I agree with both QueenOfSpain and @EmperorNorton for their recent comments -

• Now maybe if you can stop lying and have a civil discussion with out the theatrics… #hcr⁽¹³⁾
• “Keep true. Never be ashamed of doing right. Decide what you think is right and stick to it.” by George Eliot⁽¹⁴⁾

Now that I have thoroughly gone on and off topic, I’ll get to the point of the post that I hinted at above. How to we cross the chasm?  How do we, contrary to QueenOfSpain, prove that we are indeed the Greatest Country Ever? How do you show me, not convince me (I am by no means a radical) that the proposed HCR is better than those in use by the UK, Canada, France… if its not better, then why should I support it? Why should it be rushed into now?

Here is your shot. You know I am Captain Kirk to your Chancellor Gorkon. Aside from an assassination, shady trial, tracking down conspirators and escaping a freezing planet – how are you going to persuade me to see the greatness of your cause and get me to let go of my well known feelings⁽¹⁵⁾ ?

The way I see it, we are looking at The Undiscovered Country. Can we make it?

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Start Footnotes

1. Yes, there are likely to be more than a fair share of Star Trek references, you have been warnded. [↩]
2. Look out, evil ‘birther’ here – if only to set the matter to rest. [↩]
3. See he 14th Amendment if your not sure on this one. [↩]
4. Health Care/Insurance Reform. [↩]
5. Its really not the number, its the fact that we have people in need. period. [↩]
6. For the record, the United States DID land on the moon and Elvis is NOT alive. These are facts. And facts are what I’m after with this post. [↩]
7. I don’t restrict myself to only following and conversing with those whom I share political or religious views. To do that is, bluntly, stoodpid and limiting. [↩]
8. It my appear that I am picking on Erin at points in this post, I’m not. I love her passion and that passion shows in her great quotes. [↩]
9. National Institutes for Health. [↩]
10. The UK’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. [↩]
11. See full article here. [↩]
12. Not taken out of context, see original quote here. [↩]
13. See Post here. [↩]
14. See Post here. [↩]
15. I am not looking at name calling or blaming. I will not tolerate inflammatory comments. Assume I am the target audience for your reforms, how will you win me over? [↩]

End Footnotes.

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The Undiscovered Country